1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to equipment for filling mobile tanks, and more particular, to an automatic truck tank fill system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many industrial vehicles that use water often have water storage tanks attached to them. Such industrial vehicles include water trucks for street cleaning, fire trucks, and cement concrete trucks. Typically, these trucks are filled manually by an operator, usually the driver of the truck. The operator must remain at the truck while the truck is being filled with water in order to stop the water flow whenever the operator sees that the tank is full. Oftentimes, that individual will become distracted at times and allow the tank to overflow. The water used to fill these tanks is usually classified as processed water and, thus, any runoff is not cost effective. Also, processed water running off into the ground is usually considered an environmental risk. Reducing the amount of processed water runoff will, in turn, reduce treatment costs associated with clean-up of the runoff water, thereby lowering water contaminant volumes and, thus, the possibility of EPA-generated questions concerning water runoff.
Typically, automatic truck tank fill systems are not used because the truck is movable. Also, filling a truck tank may take a considerable amount of time. If an operator does not monitor the filling of the truck tank, it is very common in the industry that movable trucks will take off with the hose attachments still in place, thereby damaging the water refill system and/or truck. This usually occurs when the operator of the fill system is not the driver of the truck.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned problems by providing a simple, robust, automatic truck tank fill system that will automatically shut off when the truck tank is full and will not damage the truck and/or automatic truck tank fill system if the truck pulls out when the fill system is still attached to the truck.
The present invention is an automatic truck tank fill system that may be used to fill tanks on trucks such as concrete trucks and street cleaning water trucks. The automatic truck tank fill system includes a conduit adapted to be in fluid communication with a fluid supply source, a valve connected to one end of the conduit, a sensor for determining the presence of a fluid material connected to an opposite end of the conduit, and a controller in electrical communication with the valve and the sensor, wherein the controller causes the valve to open and close. The conduit can be in fluid communication with a fluid supply source that supplies fluid material such as water. The conduit includes a pipe having a first end and a second end and a flexible hose having a first hose end and a second hose end. The second end of the pipe is coupled to the first hose end of the hose. The second end of the pipe can also be releasably coupled to the first hose end of the hose using a hose breakaway connector. The hose breakaway connector permits the hose to detach from the pipe when a pulling force is applied to the hose, thus preventing damage to the pipe and the fluid supply source. The conduit can also include a fill spout connected to the second hose end of the hose.
The valve, which can be a control solenoid valve, is installed adjacent the first end of the pipe. The sensor, which can be a level sensor, is attached to the fill spout. The sensor is capable of being in a first state and a second state. The controller is electrically and releasably connected to the sensor using an electronic breakaway connector. The electronic breakaway connector easily disconnects the sensor from the controller when a pulling force is applied to the sensor, thus preventing damage to the controller when a truck pulls out with the fill system still connected to the truck tank.
The controller includes a start control and a stop control. The start control when activated, transmits a signal to the controller causing the valve to open. The stop control when activated, transmits a signal to the controller causing the valve to close. Also, the sensor when activated from the first state to the second state, transmits a signal to the controller thereby causing the valve to close. The sensor, which can be made of stainless steel, is activated from the first state to the second state when fluid material in the tank comes in contact with the sensor, thus indicating that the truck tank is full.
The present invention can also include a pump in fluid communication with the conduit. The pump is also in electrical communication with the controller. The start control when activated, transmits a signal to the controller causing the pump to start and the valve to open. The stop control when activated, transmits a signal to the controller causing the pump to stop and the valve to close. Also, when the sensor is activated from the first state to the second state, a signal is transmitted to the controller thereby causing the valve to close and the pump to stop.
The present invention can also include radio frequency units wherein the controller communicates with the sensor by radio frequency waves. A first radio frequency unit is connected to the sensor and a second radio frequency unit is connected to the controller, wherein the first radio frequency unit communicates with the second radio frequency unit.
The present invention further includes an alarm electrically connected to the controller. The alarm can be a visual display such as blinking lights or an audible sound. The controller activates the alarm when the valve closes and/or the pump shuts off.
In operation, filling a truck tank using an automatic truck tank fill system includes the steps of first placing a truck tank adjacent a fill system. Next, a level sensor in a first state is provided. Third, one end of a conduit and the level sensor is placed into an opening in the tank. Fourth, the tank is filled with fluid material flowing from the conduit which is in fluid communication with a fluid supply source. Finally, the fluid material flowing in the tank is stopped when the sensor is in a second state. An alarm can also be activated when material flowing to the tank is stopped.